1. Field
The present invention is in the field of rotary tools, such as socket wrenches and power and impact tools, utilizing quick release and positive locking mechanism.
2. State of the Art
A rotary tool of the type concerned is described in European Patent Application No. 0,066,710, published on Dec. 15, 1982. Therein, a longitudinally displaceable, retaining control member is provided and has a lateral, longitudinally widening recess. The retaining control member extends through the longitudinal throughbore of a pivot portion of a ratchet, which has a square pin, i.e. drive stud, provided thereat. The recess cooperates with a detent ball, which is movable in a transverse bore of the square pin. The retaining control member is loaded with the force of a spring and keeps the square pin in a locking position in which the detent ball is in locking engagement with a detent recess of the square pin of the ratchet as a wrench socket insert. The wrench socket insert is thereby safely held by the square pin or the ratchet.
The retaining control member is rotatable about its axis in the longitudinal throughbore, which extends through the pivot portion and the square pin between a releasing position and a locking position. It is thus ensured that the locking position cannot be released unintentionally by acting on the spring loading the retaining control member. In the releasing position, the retaining control member can be displaced only against the force of the spring longitudinally of the throughbore such that the ball can be released from the locking engagement and the wrench socket insert can be released. In the direction toward the outer surface of the square pin, the transverse bore has a constriction which prevents the ball from falling out from the transverse bore when the wrench socket insert is removed.
A ratchet of similar type is described in German Published Patent Application No. 2,906,719.
Countersunk bolts are known as connecting members. They comprise a threaded portion for fastening purposes by means of a nut as in the HI-LOK Fastener produced by Hi-Shear Corporation, 2600 West 247th Street, Torrance, Calif. As published in Aviation Week, Nov. 22, 1965, a profiled cut-out extends from the free end of a threaded portion for engagement with a screwdriver having a correspondingly profiled engagement portion. By means of the thus-inserted screwdriver, the countersunk bolt can be held stationary while the nut is being tightened by means of a ratchet and a wrench socket insert. The screwdriver extends through a longitudinal throughbore of the ratchet and the wrench socket insert.